Window screen



Nov. 15, 1949 R. MQRRIS 2,488,424

WINDOW SCREEN Filed Feb. 19, 1945 Mln/ENTOR- RnM/EL Mon/ws) HrroP/vE/s.

Patented Nov. 15, 1949 NTED STATE ATENT OFFICE WINDOW SCREEN Ramiel Morris, St. Louis, Mo.

Application February 19, 1945, Serial N0. 578,593

Claims. (Cl. 160-374) Generally, the present invention relates to Window screens, and more specifically to window screens whose frames are metallic.

Broadly, the invention contemplates a plurality of separable components, Which, when .properly assembled, form a rectangular extensible and contractable frame provided with means for securing thereon a piece of Wire screening.

More particularly, the invention comprises a plurality of separable members, telescopically connected with one another to form a rectangular frame which may be adjusted to fit window frames of various sizes; means associated with and incorporated in the frame to maintain same in such adjusted position; means on portions thereof for the ready attachment of a piece of Wire screening; and means for shielding the screen wire attaching means and simultaneously imparting an ornamental nished appearance to the complete assembly.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an adjustable sectional screen frame which may be assembled or dismantled quickly, which is easily wirable and rewirable, and which includes other features and advantages which will be apparent or pointed out in the following description and in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

In the drawing, wherein is shown, for illustra* tive purposes only, the preferable embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is an interior or roomside view of the assembled screen, portions of the framework being brel-:ien away to disclose structural details, and adjustments thereof being suggested by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the right hand half thereof as it appears prior to the application of the wire screening, portions of the frame members being broken away to disclose other structural details;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the manner in which the wire screening is maintained rigidly in place;

Fig, 4 is a sectional view on the lines li-Ll in Fig. 1, particuarly illustrating the manner in which the telescopic sections of the frame are adjustably maintained in position;

Fig. 5 is a similar View on the line 5 5 in Fig. l, particularly illustrating the relation of the parts adjacent the corners of the screen;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the Wire screening being applied;

Fig. '7 is a perspective View of a. portionv of one of the intermediate sections of the frame;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of a portion of one of the molded strips which aid in maintaining the wire taut and impart a iinished appearance to the frame;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of one of the molded corner pieces used in conjunction with the strips of Fig. S, and for the same purpose.

For descriptive purposes, the screen is assumed to lie in a horizontal plane prior to installation in a window.

The complete screen, generally designated I0, is seen to include a frame comprising four main or corner sections l I, and four intermediate sections IZ, with adjacent sections in telescopic relation as shown.

The corner sections Il and the intermediate sections i2 are substantially channel shaped in cross section, the latter being of a size to slidably fit within the former.

Each member II comprises a horizontal or base portion I3 (which, when the invention is mounted in a window, faces the outside), a vertical portion I4 terminating in an inwardly turned horizontal flange portion I5, and a vertical portion I6 of slightly greater height than the portion I4, and terminating in an inwardly turned horizontal flange portion I'I.

Each section I2 similarly comprises a horizontal or base portion I 8, a vertical portion I 9 terminating in an inwardly turned horizontal flange portion 2G, and a vertical portion 2I of slightly greater height than the portion I9, and terminating in an inwardly turned horizontal flange portion 22.

As best seen in Figs. 3, 4, and 6, the height of the vertical portion I6 relative to that of the portion 2l is such that a space or notch is provided between the flange portions Il and 22, the purpose of which will appear.

Means for maintaining the various sections of the frame in adjusted position are incorporated.

Any suitable locking device may be employed, but

the arrangement best seen in Fig. 4 is preferred. An inspection of this view in conjunction with Fig. 2 discloses a set screw 23 engaging the threaded aperture or a circular boss 24 formed on the underside of the flange l5 adjacent both extremities of each corner member. When the proper adjustment of the frame sections has been determined, the screws 23 are tightened so as to impinge against the base portion i8 thereby preventing fortuitous movement of the members l2 relative to the members l i.

As shown in the drawing, the flanges of the intermediate members i2 are considerably narrower than the corresponding flanges l5 of the corner members in order to afford clearance for the bosses during adjustment operations, at which time the set screws 23 are obviously slightly withdrawn, that is, not in engagement with the base portion i8. The bosses 2, incidentally, may be dispensed with if desired.

Meansfor attaching the wire screening to the adjusted frame are provided in the form of prongs or the like 25, a row or series of which extends from end to end of each flange l5. s shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, the prongs are integral with the ange l5, being stamped or otherwise formed therein. Additionally,- tliy are slender enough to readily enter standard mesh wire screening.

A finished appearance is imparted to the roomY against the flange l5 as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

The offset horizontal portion Si? of said strips is adapted to enter the notches or spaces 3|, formed as previously explained. The oifset horizontal portion 3G of the inserts is adapted to engage the l underside of the nange 4ll in the corner region.

The manner of assembling the various elements should be obvious from the foregoing but will be now set forth briefly. Assuming that the four corner sections are telescopically connected with the four intermediate sections, and that-the set screws 23 are withdrawn slightly, the frame is then :adjusted to fit the particular opening wherein it is to be installed. In other words, the frame is extended or contracted as required, until its top, bottom, and side edges Contact the head, sill, and jamb portions, respectively, of the window frame. This done, the set screws 23, readily accessible, are tightened, whereupon the now rigid frame is placed upon a table or the like.

Next, a piece of wire screening 32 of :a size to t r the frame is cut, the prongs 25 are elevated by a suitable tool to approximately the position shown in Fig. 6, and caused to enter the screening along the adjacent edges thereof, whereupon the prongs arev forced outwardly and downwardly until they occupy the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

Assuming that the piece of screening 32 was manually stretched while being applied, the outwardly downward movement of the prongs exerts an additional pull aut'on'iaticallfyv increasing the tension of the screening.

With the screening secure, the four corner inf serts are p-ut in place, their oifset portions 3B being frictionally held in placeV by the inturned flanges Il. Thereupon, strips of a length to abut the corner inserts are cut, and likewise put in place, their offset portions entering the notchesv 3| whereby they are frictionally held in place between the flanges I1 and 22.

The depending flange portions 29 also tend to still further increase the tension on the screen-V ing. The strips 25 and the corner inserts 21 also impart a nnished and more or less ornamental appearance to the completed screen.

The frame is readily rewirable by removing the strips 26 and the inserts 21, bending the prongs 25 upwardly inward, removing the worn screening, and replacing it with a new piece.

Any conventional means may be employed to install the screen in the window frame. Apertures, properly spaced and contoured may be formed in the corner members to engage spaced pintles or the like fixed to the window frame; or, as suggested by the broken lines at 33 in Fig. 1, suitable hanger brackets may be attached to the screen frame cooperable with complementary means secured to the window frame.

Since the invention may be modied as to details in some respects, I do not desire to be limited to the exact details illustrated Iand described.

What is claimed is:

1. A window screen construction including a plurality of separable members telescopically connected with one another to form a rectangular frame, said members comprising four corner members and four intermediate members, means adapted to maintain said intermediate members in selected overlapping relation relative to said corner members, means on the corner members for the ready attachment of a piece of wire screening, and means for imparting an all-aro-und tension to an attached piece of wire screening, said last means also shielding the said attaching means and simultaneously imparting an ornamental finished appearance to the complete assembly.

2. A window screen construction including a plurality of separable members telescopically connected with one another to form a rectangular frame, said members comprising four corner members and four intermediate members, standard mesh screening filling said frame, means adapted to maintain said intermediate members in selected overlapping relation relative to said corner members, said means comprising a boss having a threaded aperture formed in and adjacent each end of each corner member and a set screw eX- tending through the threaded aperture and adapted to impinge against a portion of the intermediate member, rows of integral prongs on each corner member extendable through said screening for removably securing same to said frame, four molded corner inserts covering said prongs and the attached margin of the screening in the corner regions, and four molded strip inserts covering said prongs and the attached margin of the screening in the remaining regions between the ends of said corner inserts.

3. An extensible and contractable frame for window screens including corner sections and intermediate sections, the latter being slidable within the former to vary the size 'of the frame, manually'operable fastening means carried by the corner sections engageable with the intermediate sections to maintain the frame the selected size,

manipulatable prongs on the corner sections` adapted to receive and secure the adjacent edge portions of a piece of wire screening to the frame, molded members each adapted to be inserted in a corner section at the apex thereof, and moldedV strips each adapted to have its end portions in? intermediate sections being similarly shaped and slidably fitting within portions of the corner sections for relative adjustability, manually operable set screw means carried by the corner sections engageable with the intermediate sections to maintain the frame the selected size, manipulatable prongs on the corner sections adapted to receive and secure the adjacent edge portions of a piece of wire screening to the frame, molded members each adapted to be inserted in a corner section at the apex thereof, and molded strips each adapted to have its end portions inserted in the corner sections in abutting relationship to the adjacent edge of one of said molded corner insert members.

5. An adjustable, easily wirable and rewirable frame for window screens comprising four similar corner segments each including a horizontal base portion, an inner upwardly extending vertical portion terminating in an inwardy turned horizontal flange portion, a series of integral prongs formed in said flange adapted to be elevated and lowered manually, a boss formed on the underside of said ange adjacent each end thereof and having a set screw extending therethrough, and an outer upwardly extending vertical portion of slightly greater height than the first-named Vertical portion terminating also in an inwardly turned horizontal ange portion; four similar intermediate segments telescopically connected with the corner segments each including a horizontal b-ase portion, an inner upwardly extending Vertical portion terminating in an inwardly turned horizontal flange portion, and an outer upwardly extending vertical portion terminating in an inwardly turned flange portion; four angular molded corner pieces each including a portion terminating in an iner downwardly turned flange portion and an outer downwardly oiset portion; and four molded strips each including a portion terminatig in an inner downwardly turned ange portion and an outer downwardly offset portion substantially parallel to said rst mentioned portion.

RAMIEL MORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

